In His Eyes
by such a dreamer
Summary: (Ron x Hermione) An argument occurs early on in the week, and Harry takes it into his own hands to get Ron and Hermione talking again, with the help of Seamus and Dean. Read and review, please.


Ron Weasley sighed heavily as he threw himself onto one of the thick, overstuffed couches of the Gryffindor Common Room. He closed his eyes and concentrated on inhaling and exhaling before spitting out, "She just has to be so _damn_ perfect."

Harry looked up at his redheaded friend from the couch opposite. Putting down his copy _of Quidditch Through the Ages_, which he was reading for what seemed like the hundredth time, he asked, "What happened? I saw Hermione storm through around ten minutes ago."

"We were working in the library, and everything was going fine until she spotted a spelling mistake on my History of Magic Essay. I told her that I had spelled it right, and she was mistaken – so she went and got Madam Prince to back her up. In the end, I _had_ spelled it wrong; and so I commented on her perfectionism and she turned all red and left."

"Commented?" Harry asked with raised eyebrows.

"Alright," Ron surrendered, "I didn't _comment_. I made fun of her a little bit."

"A little bit?" 

"Okay! So more than a little bit! It bothers me how she always has to be right! With Hermione, everything always has to be just so, and just right."

It was true though, Harry thought to himself, Hermione did always have things set right. Mind you, everyone did have a flaw or two, and he tried to tell Ron this.

Unfortunately, this seemed to set Ron off even more, as he jumped up and exclaimed, "_No_, she doesn't have any flaws! She's perfect – everything she does is perfect!"

After his outburst, he ran upstairs to the Fifth Year Boy's dormitory, passing Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan; and almost causing them to fall down the stairs. Dean yelled some sort of explicatory word after him, but Ron was in too much of a hurry to care.

When the two finally reached where Harry was sitting, they sat down and put their feet up on the coffee table. 

"What's the matter with Ron today?" Seamus asked, looking rather confused.

Harry hesitated by smiling before answering. Pulling out his book again, he asked simply, "Whenever Ron is flustered like that, what's the answer?"

"Oh," Dean and Seamus said in unison, as if that explained everything. "Hermione."

They laughed together as Harry started to read again and the other two began setting up a game of _Wizard's_ _Chess_. 

- - -

The next morning, winter seemed to have come early judging from the cold look Hermione gave Ron at the breakfast table. Harry elbowed Ron, who was sitting next to him and whispered, "Is she not talking to you?"

Ron shrugged, "I suppose not. Not that I care, or anything."

"Right." Harry agreed, although he rolled his eyes in hopes that Ron wouldn't see.

The trio ate their breakfast in silence, except for when Hermione asked, "Harry? Would you please ask Ron to pass the pumpkin juice? Thank you."

Harry did as he was asked, and in the end it was he who passed the juice to Hermione. His shoulders sulked a little bit – as much as he was used to being Ron and Hermione's go between every couple of weeks, there was a _Hogsmeade Weekend_ coming up, and their behavior was certainly ruining it.

Something suddenly went off in Harry's mind as he thought about it. Taking a rather large risk, he stated somewhat casually, "So, this weekend there's a trip to Hogsmeade."

This evidently didn't have the affect he had hoped for because neither of his friends even blinked an eye at his words. Continuing with a little more pressure Harry went on, "Maybe we could all go together? We could visit _Zonko's_ and the _Shrieking_ _Shack_."

"Yeah," Ron agreed, looking at his dark haired friend, "That would be fun. How about you Hermione?"

Harry grinned. Even though Ron had said that he didn't care whether or not Hermione was talking to him, he was already trying to get a conversation started. Hermione however was not easily fooled, so she glared for a moment at Ron and then turned to Harry, "Sounds good. Shall we meet in the Common Room at 5:00?"

The two boys nodded at her, one grinning, and the other looking especially guilty. 

"Listen, Hermione, about what I said yesterday – "

"Save it Ron," She said, getting up to leave, "I don't really have time right now."

He apparently wasn't keen on letting her go, because he reached over the table, caught her wrist, and pulled. "I really am sorry, Hermione. I didn't mean to insult you."

She looked very surprised at his action, as did Harry, but she snapped back to reality and got up from the table. "I have a class to attend."

"So," Ron asked, looking at his friend once Hermione had left the Great Hall, "Do you think she has forgiven me?"

Harry shrugged. 

- - -

"Which shirt, the black polo shirt, or just the plain white T-shirt? It's going under my robes, obviously, so I suppose it doesn't really matter…" 

It was 4:30 on Friday afternoon, and Harry was watching his best friend ramble. 

In an attempt to sooth Ron a little bit, Harry said, "I think you should go for the white. If you don't mind me asking, why are you putting so much thought into what you're wearing?"

"I have to make a good impression on Hermione, otherwise she'll be angry with me forever. Well, maybe not forever, but for a long time, anyway. Have you seen my hair gel?"

Harry shook his head in response. "What do you need hair gel for anyway? It looks fine the way it is."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right." Ron said, running his hand through his hair a fair amount of times. He sighed and slipped into his black _Hogwarts_ robe. "Let's go, Harry, why aren't you getting ready?"

"Because we still have half an hour." 

Ron glanced down at his watch and discovered that he was right, and then fell backwards onto his bed. "What can I do for half an hour?" 

He shifted on his bed, and sprawled out like that, Harry realized just how thin, tall, and lanky Ron really was. He shrugged and pulled out from his bedside table a Quidditch magazine. Tossing it to a dejected looking Ron, he said, "I'm sure by tonight this whole thing will have blown over."

Ron raised his eyebrows, and looked at Harry as if he were insane. "Do you know what you're saying? It usually takes Hermione at least three or four days to come around."

"Hey, I'm just trying to make you feel better." 

This earned a laugh, and the two boys settled into their magazines, with sometimes comments from Ron like, "Honestly, Harry, the Chudley Canons really _are_ the best Quidditch team out there."

After a long amount of time, there came a loud tapping at the door. Harry, thinking it was probably just Neville or someone, called "Come in!"

The door rolled open to reveal a rather red faced Hermione. "Do you two realize that you're fifteen minutes late?"

At this, Ron literally jumped in the air and gasped, "We are?"

"Yes," Hermione said impatiently, "You are."

"We're really sorry," Harry said, trying to save his and Ron's case. "Let's just go, now, alright?"

- - -

After their routinely trips to Zonko's, Honeyduke's and Dervish & Banges, the trio finally made their way back to the Three Broomsticks for a mug (or two) of Butterbeer.

"See, Hermione? This wasn't so bad, was it?" Harry asked his brown haired friend. 

"No, I suppose not." She admitted, trying to act casual. Harry pretended that he didn't see how her eyes often drifted over to where Ron was buying the drinks at the bar.

"Here we go." Ron said, putting down the tray of three delicious looking mugs of Butterbeer. Taking a seat, he raised his mug a little bit, and then tipped the liquid down his throat. 

There was absolutely no conversation between Ron and Hermione, and as the time neared 8:00, Harry thought it was best to put his plan into action. Draining the last of his Butterbeer, he exclaimed, "I've just got to go the bathroom, I'll be right back."

"Don't be long, Harry." Hermione said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Harry coughed. "Um, I won't."

He made his way quickly to the back of the Three Broomsticks, were the bathrooms were located, but also where he knew there was a back entrance. Exiting the pub, he whispered into the darkness, "Guys?"

Dean and Seamus were waiting there already. Seamus asked quietly, "Did it work?"

"I think so." Harry said thoughtfully. "If all goes well, we shouldn't be seeing Ron until around 10:00 tonight. I really do hope Hermione forgives him, though."

"She will." Dean said, sounding quite sure of himself. "She always does."

"Come on," Harry whispered, "We've got to go now – before Ron comes wondering where I went to."

This in mind, the three used the secret passage of the hump-backed witch to get back to Hogwarts successfully. 

"Can't Ron use the same secret passage to get back?" Seamus asked as they walked back to Gryffindor Dormitory. 

"He could, but he wouldn't leave Hermione alone. If he did end up taking Hermione through the passage, I would be quite surprised at him – he knows that she doesn't approve of them."

"Right." Seamus responded, as he and Dean prepared to leave Harry. "We're going to the kitchens, and then maybe over to the Ravenclaw Dormitory – maybe Parvati will come, and we'll go pick Padma. Interested in coming?"

"Maybe we'll invite Lavender, too?" Dean teased, grinning at his best friend becoming quite rapidly flustered. 

"Can't." Harry said apologetically. "I've got to be waiting for Ron."

- - -

Harry had estimated a fairly accurate time for Ron to return, as Seamus and Dean had turned up around 9:30 to wait. 10:00 passed, but at quarter after ten, the four fifth year boys could hear something of an argument downstairs in the Common Room. 

"Uh, oh." Neville said, looking at the other boys. "Maybe things didn't go quite as well as expected?"

Dean shrugged. "Hold on a minute, I can hear what they're saying."

Two voices drifted up from the Common Room to the dormitory, although one was much sharper than the other. "I can't believe you Ron! I _forgave_ you, and we were just starting to get along again – and now this!"

After this, the boys heard someone run up the stairs and a door slam. They also heard heavy footsteps come up their staircase, and Dean had to elbow Seamus to stop him from talking. Everyone pretended they were immersed in something interesting, so when Ron came in, everything would look normal.

The door swung open to showcase a very disheveled looking Ron, who quickly shed his robes. "She hates me."

"She doesn't hate you," Neville reassured him, "She is just a little upset, that's all."

Ron fell onto his bed, and put his head in his hands. "I don't understand her, we were just getting along again…"

"What happened?" Harry asked, almost afraid for an answer. 

"I accidentally spilled Butterbeer on her robes. I didn't think it was a big deal, but according to her it was." Ron said, now lying down on his bed. "I don't know what has gotten into her lately, I said I was sorry, and normally she would have forgiven me immediately." 

Everyone was silent for awhile, before Ron went on. "I'd also like to thank you for leaving us back there, Harry."

"I'm sorry Ron." Harry said, looking rather guilty. "I thought it would provide a time for you two to talk things over. I shouldn't have left you."

"It's alright, actually," the redhead said, dismissing the thought with a wave of his hand. "I did apologize for the scenario in the library – and _then_ I spilled my Butterbeer. I'd just like to know what's gotten into her…she's acting so strange."

"Maybe she likes you." Seamus suggested. 

"Yeah, that would explain a lot of why she acts so different around you." Harry said, looking to see what Ron's reaction was. 

"What?" Ron exclaimed, sitting upright on his bed. "Do you know what you're saying?"

"Yes." Dean said patiently. "I think it's a good explanation. Do you like her?"

"Of course not!" He replied quickly – maybe a little bit too quickly. "I mean, I know that she's pretty, and the smartest witch of our year, but I don't _like_ her."

Looks of question were on the other four's faces. 

"Honestly! I could never deal with someone that perfect! It would probably drive me bloody well insane." Ron said, desperately trying to convince his roommates.

"Exactly!" Harry cried triumphantly, "There you go again talking about perfection!"

"So?" Ron asked, looking quite confused. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"You know what they say, Ron," Harry said, grinning widely. "No one is perfect, until you fall in love with them."

- - -

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, or any of the characters in this story. This story was purely for fun, and my own amusement.

Notes: Done and done. If you would be so kind to review, that would be nice. It doesn't take long. Thanks, guys. 

And Now: For my favorite Ron/Hermione excerpt from the Harry Potter series. This was taken from the Goblet of Fire, and I don't know why I like this particular quote so much, but I do. So – just thought I would share it. 

"There's something funny, though," said Hermione ten minutes later, holding her pestle suspended over a bowl of scarab beetles. "How could Rita Skeeter have known ...?"

  
"Known what?" said Ron quickly. "You haven't been mixing up Love potions, have you?"

  
"Don't be stupid," Hermione snapped, starting to pound up her beetles again. "No, it's just ... how did she know Viktor asked me to visit him over the summer?"

  
Hermione blushed scarlet as she said this, and determinedly avoided Ron's eyes.

  
"What?" said Ron, dropping his pestle with a loud clunk.

  
"He asked me right after he's pulled me out of the lake," Hermione muttered. "After he'd got rid of his shark's head. Madam Pomfrey gave us both blankets and then he sort of pulled me away from the judges so they wouldn't hear, and he said, if I wasn't doing anything over the summer, would I like to -"

  
"And what did you say?" said Ron, who had picked up his pestle and was grinding it on the desk, a good six inches from his bowl, because he was looking at Hermione.

  
"And he did say he'd never felt the same way about anyone else," Hermione went on, going so red now that Harry could almost feel the heat coming from her, "but how could Rita Skeeter have heard him? She wasn't there ... or was she? Maybe she has got an Invisibility Cloak, maybe she sneaked into the grounds to watch the second task ..."

  
"And what did you say?" Ron repeated, pounding his pestle down so hard that it dented the desk.

- - -


End file.
